Obamacare backers target back-to-school audience

A key ally in the Obama administration’s efforts to promote the health care law announced Wednesday it is leveraging back-to-school season by touting Obamacare to young people and their parents at college campus orientations and backpack giveaways.

Enroll America, a nonprofit led by former White House staffer Anne Filipic, is traveling across the country to explain the potential benefits of the Affordable Care Act and enroll Americans onto state-based health exchanges, where those without employer-based insurance can buy coverage with the help of government subsidies.

Young people are a priority for the Obama administration. For the law to work, healthier consumers must enroll on health exchanges to keep premiums in check when sicker patients with pre-existing conditions — who can no longer be denied coverage — sign up as well.

Younger adults who are no longer covered by their parents’ plans are also subject to law’s individual mandate requiring most Americans to have some form of health insurance.

“We know that even though young adults value and want health insurance, they haven’t been able to afford it in the past,” Ms. Filipic said.

The nonprofit has already targeted high population states like Texas, Florida and Ohio.

Proponents of Obamacare are battling a tide of opposition to the controversial law, including a breakaway group of conservative lawmakers who want to defund the reforms as part of an upcoming budget showdown on Capitol Hill.